Lost and Forgotten
by Halo1985
Summary: Regina leaves town years later Emma tracks her down and begs her to help save Henry from himself. Only problem is Regina lost all of her memories and has a new life. Will she even be willing to go back to a town filled with people who hated her, to save a child that wanted nothing to do with her when she left. Should she even help Emma who only looked for her when she needed help.
1. Chapter 1

Lost and forgotten

Emma stood outside the apartment. It had been six years since Regina had left town without warning. They defeated Cora, Regina had her redemption, but the woman was broken. She was never the same after the battle. Henry had been the only person who cared she left and in time, he had adjusted to life without her. It only took Emma a few weeks to track the woman to this address. Regina was her last chance to save her family and her town. She needed Regina help she was praying that the woman would be willing to give it. Emma knocked at the door. Nervously shoving her hands in her pockets, she waited for a response.

"Can I help you?" A teenage girl opened the door. The girl was about Emma's height with a similar build. She had the same blue green eyes Emma had. The girl looked like she could be her twin the only difference was her hair it was cut short. It reminded her of the first time she saw Regina.

"I was looking for Regina Mills, do I have the right place." Emma said scratching the back of her head.

"Who are you and why are you looking" The girl had a sharp gaze, and she practically growled at Emma.

"My name's Emma Swan, we used to know each other a long time ago."

"She's isn't here." The girl may not have looked anything like Regina but she had the same intimating presence the other woman did. She also held herself with the same poise Regina did.

"Ok do you know where I can find her at, it's kind of important?" Emma said looking the girl in the eye. The girl's expression softened a bit.

"She's working a double shift tonight she gets off at 10:00pm, but she will probably be too tired to have any visitors." She was about to slam the door in Emma face. Emma put her foot in the door and pushed it open.

"Listen this is really important, let me wait for her. I have to talk to her. It's about Henry, he needs her." Emma said pulling out her badge to show the girl she was not going to hurt her.

"Who is that. "The girl looked shocked it was obvious she had never heard that name.

"Regina's son or he used to be her son. It's complicated."

"My mom doesn't have any other kids."

"Your mom?"

"Yeah my mom can't have any kids, and she sure as hell wouldn't leave her kid if she did."

"It's complicated I need to see her it's important."

"You're lying; I think my mom would have mentioned something like a long lost son to me."

"Did you ever think maybe your mom has a few secrets?"

"My mother is the most boring person on the planet. Trust me I think you have the wrong person. There has to be more than one Regina Mills in the phone book maybe you should go talk to one of them."

"No I know she lives here, please let me in and I will explain everything. I have to talk to her tonight it is important."

"She going to get mad, she doesn't like people over when she isn't home."

"That sounds like the Regina I know. Please let me in I won't hurt you."

"That's what crazy people tell you right before they kill you."

"I told you I'm a sheriff"

"Not in this town you aren't, I know the sheriff and trust me you aren't him." The girl said shoving Emma out of the doorway and slamming the door in her face. Emma slid down the wall.

"If you don't leave I will call the real sheriff," the girl yelled threw the door.

"Fine I'm leaving," Emma said then pounded her feet on the floor. She sat there waiting for the girl to respond.

"You are still outside I'm not dumb."

"Ok I am really leaving." Emma walked to the end of the hallway. If Regina was supposed to be home at 10:00pm, Emma decided she could wait. She did not have any choice Regina was her last hope. She sat on the floor at the end of the hall and watched Regina's apartment.

At 10:30pm, Regina came off the elevator dressed in scrubs. She was a little older but still as beautiful even dressed in scrubs. Her hair was longer and pulled back in a ponytail and she was not wearing any makeup. Emma ran to her before she could get in the door.

"Regina."

"Do I know you?" Regina looked up at Emma with tired eyes and then smiled.

"You don't remember me, it's me Emma Swan."

"I'm sorry I don't remember you. It's I late and I need to be up in a few hours for work." Then the apartment door swung open.

"Your back I told you if you don't leave I was calling the police." The teenager said standing behind Regina.

"What's going on here?" Regina looked at both women confused.

"Are you Mackenzie's birth mother?"

"No, I am Henry's birth mother, your son Henry."

"So how does that even work?" Mackenzie said looking at both women.

"Quit faking, he needs you."

"I honestly have no idea what you're taking about."

"She lost all her memories six years ago. It's why she decided to become a nurse. She went to a ton of Doctors, but none of them could figure out what was wrong."

"I thought you said she was boring."

"She is boring now, why did it take you so long to find her."

"Mack go inside, I am going to have a talk with Ms. …"

"Swan."

"Ms. Swan, it feels like we have done this before."

"Oh lady you have no idea."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Ok explain to me how I can possibly help this boy. You said you were his birth mother. I doubt I would be a match if he needed a kidney or something I have a rare blood type. So I doubt my organs would be suited for him"

"No it's not like that."

"I need you to come back home with me. You have to see what is going on if I try to explain it to you. You will just think I am crazy and want me committed"

"Because a totally sane person sits outside a stranger's house all night."

"A person who is in desperate need of help."

"I would love to help you really, but I have a daughter and my job. There is no way I can get time off work right now."

"Regina are you faking, you have to be faking. You can't honestly tell me you can't remember Henry your son, our son."

"Ok I don't have a son; I have no family I spent several years of my life trying to figure out who I was. I went to multiple specialists and none of them could explain my amnesia. I had P.I. look for my family and they found nothing. No one missed me; no one was looking for me. It was as if I never existed, so sorry if I don't buy your story. Now if you will excuse me I have to go make sure my daughter is ok I'm sure your presence has upset her." Regina turned to open her door.

"Your name is Regina Mills; you use to be the Mayer of a small town in Maine called Story Brook. You love apples and horses. You hate Snow White; even now I bet you cannot stand that Disney movie. You use to wear power suits and you were a total control freak. You have a son and his name is Henry, you named him after your father. He just turned 17; he is a foot taller than I am. He has a beard that I know you would totally hate. I know you have no reason to believe me but I am begging you to let me take you there. Once you will see everything, I am sure the memories will come back. Please you are my last hope."

"It's has been six years, why all of a sudden is it so important." Regina said with her back still turned.

"Let me in and I will explain everything to you."

"There is one small problem with your story."

"What's that?"

"I hate apples, in fact I despise apples. I can't even stand the smell. So as nice as your little story was, I have never been near a horse nor do I have any desired to do so. I could never imagine myself in politics, let alone become the mayor of a town. I hate it when they make me the charge nurse on my unit. For the last six years, I have been a jean and T-shirt kind of girl and I picked a job where I could wear pajamas to work. As far as the boy, if I had a son…" Regina turned to look at the blonde. "I would never have left him for any reason.

"Do you still hate Snow White?"

"Did you really just ask me if I dislike a fictional character from my childhood?" Regina narrowed her eyes at the other woman."

"You keep avoiding the question."

"I don't care one way or the other. I am totally indifferent to a fictional character." Regina then opened the door and started to go inside.

"What else can I do to convince you?"

"I have to be up in 5 hours for work, please leave or I will call the police."

"You use to be the evil queen. The one who poisoned Snow White, because she somewhat accidently got your true love killed. Your even more evil mother crushed his heart in front of you. "

"Ok now I know you're crazy."

"No one missed you because you cursed them all to this world. Come with me and I will show you everything. "

"Your delusional stay away from me and my daughter."

"Now that sounds like the Regina I use to know."

Regina walked into her apartment and slammed the door on the annoying blonde. _I need to move, this city is filled with crazy people. I cannot have my child exposed to that crazy woman. That Ms. Swan seemed so sure of herself. How can anyone believe in fairy tales? _

"Mom are you ok."

"Yes dear, I just had to make that woman leave. I hope she didn't upset you."

"No I am cool, I almost feel bad for her. She really thinks you can save that kid."

"Apparently that's not all she thinks, I don't want you talking to her at all. If she comes to the door or tries to approach you at all, call the police. I do not think she is very stable. She may look normal, but she is so far from it. She actually thinks I am the evil queen."

"That's kind of cool. Did she explain how you lost your memory then?"

"I am not, nor was I ever the evil queen. She is a lunatic and highly unstable and probably off her psych drugs.

"Mom I was just kidding. I could never see you being mean to anyone ever. If you were the evil queen, I would still love you anyway. I would even be evil with you."

"Honey that's very sweet, but you know I would never want you to be evil. Even if I was, I would still hope you stayed just the way you are."

"I know that's why I can't ever see you being the evil queen. I am going to bed; I made you dinner it's in the fridge." Mack said walking to her bedroom.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter3

The alarm clock went off 5:00 am. Regina sat up in bed, her back was sore and stiff. She stretched her arms over her head. _These extra shifts are going to kill me._ She thought as she rubbed the back of her neck, she stood up and walked to the bathroom. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she noticed the dark circle under her eyes and shook her head in disgust. She had not slept very well, the nightmares where worse than usual. It was the same dream night after night, a heart being crushed in front of her. She splashed water on her face and tried to forget all about her dream. _It is your subconscious worrying about your daughter _Regina rationalized the nightmare to herself.

"Oh you're up early this morning." Regina said walking into the kitchen kissing Mack on the forehead.

"Yeah I just had to finish up a few things for class." Mack said while typing something in her laptop. Regina looked over her daughter's shoulder to see what she was doing and Mack quickly closed the window.

"Why did you just do that, can I please see it." Regina demanded wanting to know what her child was hiding from her. Mack reluctantly opened the page to the Grimm's fairy tales and the Evil Queen. Regina stared at the page with a raised eyebrow then laughed.

"Oh please don't tell me you believe that crazy woman." Regina still said laughing and shaking her head at the idea. She walked over to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup.

"Of course not, there is no way you could be the evil queen. I have kind of been up since 4:00 am looking things up and you are nothing like the stories."

"That's because I am a real person, not one little bit of royal blood in me. But I really wish you would have gotten more sleep."

"I just don't understand why, of all the crazy things, that woman could come up with why the evil queen."

"People do and say really strange things when they don't take there meds. When I was in school, I had a patient on my psych rotation that though I was the Virgin Mary. He spent the whole day trying to pray at my feet. Come to think about her was one of my best patients." Regina said sipping on her coffee.

"I could at least see that, when was the last time you went on a date." Mack said laughing at her mother's story.

"Did you take your meds?" Regina said changing the subject.

"Not yet I have the alarm set on my phone for 6:00am. Are you going to eat actual food? You spend all your time worrying about me; I want you to start taking better care of yourself. I am almost 15 you don't have to worry so much about me." Mack said going back to typing.

"It's my job to worry about you, not the other way around."

Later that day when Mack was walking home from school, she noticed someone following her. Mack quickened her pace trying to get away from her unwanted companion.

"Hey can you stop for a second so I can talk to you?" Emma said yelling at the teenager who was now running from her. "Please I am not going to hurt you I promises. I can prove to you I am not crazy I can use magic." Mack stopped dead in her track and turned to look at the other woman.

"Ok show me something, or I'm calling the cops."

"I can't do it here."

"My mom thinks you have Schizophrenia, I think you're just lying."

"I'm not crazy and I am telling you the truth. I only came here to help my son, please. My family is in pieces. Everything is spiraling out of control and I need your mom's help."

"Well if she is the evil queen in your fairy tale world, how could she possible be any help to you?"

"I can't explain it, I need to show her. "

"Did you ever think maybe she doesn't want to remember? That maybe, just maybe, she is happy here and you coming around could destroy everything."

"So you believe me then."

"No you're defiantly crazy I was just trying to use a little psychology to figure out if you were lying. Clearly you truly believe all this nonsense." Mack said crossing her arms over her chest.

"You know you're a lot like her."

"Like who?"

"Regina, has really worn off on you."

"Well she is my mother."

"Your adopted thou."

"What's your point, that doesn't make her any less of a mother."

"I wasn't saying that, it just you remind me so much of her even though you don't look anything like her."

"Just leave us alone, please stay away from her. She can't help you."

"If you just let me I can prove everything to you." Emma said walking up to the girl.

"Show me magic now, or we are done with conversation," Mack said glaring at Emma. Emma looked around making sure no one was around and then she snapped her fingers. She opened the palm of her hand and a small fireball hovered over it. Then Emma did the same thing with the other hand and an ice ball appeared. Then she clapped her hands together, fairy dust was all that was left.

"Happy." Emma said to the wide-eyed girl.

"How did you do that?"

"I told you I had magic."

"That was so cool, it looked so real. Nice trick but you will have to do better than that to convince me."

"Really what more do you want I just created fire and ice out of nothing."

"It was a nice parlor trick, but you're going have to do better than that." Mack said still looking at the other woman's hands. Emma rolled her eyes then held her hand out. She took her other hand and started to make a circular motion over her open palm. In a few seconds a small tornado appeared.

"Touch it, I'm controlling the wind." Emma said as the girl extended a finger to feel the small vortex.

"Wow, what else can you do?"

"Magic isn't a toy. I just did this to show you that I'm not lying and I am not delusional. Now will you please help me?"

"Yeah but you need to explain everything."

"I can do that, do you want to get something to eat and I will start from the beginning.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Emma and Mack sat at a diner; Henry's fairy tale book lay open between them. Mack had been going through each page intently. Emma ordered her standard hot chocolate with cinnamon; she talked Mack into trying her own cup. The teenager was surprised at how much she enjoyed the drink.

"So all these stories are real, they all happened."

"Yeah some details have been altered or left out completely but it's mostly true."

"You are not in this book, and neither is Henry."

"Yeah I am right here." Emma flipped through the book and pointed to the picture of when she was a baby.

"You're the baby who went through the wardrobe." Mack's greenish blue eyes became enormous the relation.

"Yeah that's me."

"You're the savior then."

"Yeah and I had Henry, Regina ended up adopting him. When he was 10, he came and found me to break the curse it took me a year to believe him. He tried so hard to convince me who I was. I ended up breaking the curse, after Henry ended up eating a poison pastry."

"Wow, how did you do that?"

"My magic is pure; I'm the product of true love. True love can break any curse. So when I kissed his head it not only woke him up but it also ended the curse."

"So my mom was the Evil Queen?" Mack said turning the page to an image of Regina with a sword flying through the air at her. "She looks so Emo, in all these pics. God I cannot believe my mom used to dress like a super freak." Mack said running her finger over the image.

"I never actually saw super freak, but I did meet control freak power suit Regina."

"I can't even image her like that." Mack said still not taking her eyes off the page. "So you guys are mortal enemies and you want her to help you?"

"It's not like that."

"Really my mom is the bad guy and you're the hero and now you need her."

"It's not so black and white. She changed before she left town. She saved us all in the end. She wasn't the evil queen anymore and we weren't mortal enemies. The truth is I make a lousy savior. Everybody expected me to be this super hero. I am a real person, who makes real mistakes just like your mom. She was more like me than anyone. "

"Why did she leave?"

"I don't know why she left and I don't even know when she left. One day she was gone and truthfully everyone in town was much happier." Emma said looking down at the table. Mack got up but Emma stopped her.

"Maybe it's better if she never goes back to those people."

"Except for her son Henry, our son, at first he was like everyone else. I think he let my parent's convince him it wasn't ok to care about her. Then as time went by, I could tell the kid really missed her and things only got worse. I know Regina would let the whole town burn, if she could remember him she would go to hell and back to save him."

"So what, she gets her memories back and we go with you, then what. Obviously, she left for a reason and no one cared enough to follow her. I am sorry but she doesn't owe anyone anything. You seem really nice and I am sorry everything is going to hell for you but that's not her life anymore."

"I'm telling you if she could remember Henry, nothing would stop her from saving him the same way nothing would stop her from saving you if she had to."

"She already saved me, now it's my job to save her from people like you."

"I don't know what she did to help you but trust me if she could remember she would help Henry. I am just asking you to help me get her back to Story Brook." Mack sat back down at the table.

"Are the people in your town still mad about the curse?"

"They all have pretty much gotten on with their lives." Emma said while playing with a straw in her drink.

"Fine, but only because I know she would be devastated if she ever found out she had a son out there somewhere and he needed her and she didn't help. "

"So I told you all about me and the crazy world I live in your turn kid."

"My mom gave me up when I was born and I ended up in foster care because I had a heart defect. Nobody wants a broken kid let alone one with an expiration date. I was a ward of the state until I was eight. I ended up in one crappy foster home after the other. Unless I was in the hospital with complications."

"So when did you meet Regina."

"I was sick, really sick like on my death bed sick. I had an infection in my heart and was on strong antibiotics. The antibiotics were hurting my kidneys. All my organs were pretty much failing. I could not go to my foster home and I had no family. The foster patents I had didn't care that I was dying. I was just a paycheck for them. Mom was doing her clinical at the hospital. I guess she must have fallen in love with me. I have no idea why, nobody else ever cared about me. Anyway when my antibiotic treatment was done I didn't go to live with my old foster family, I ended up living with Mom."

"You seem pretty healthy and dare I say even feisty."

"Yeah I ended up getting a transplant of few years ago. Which was a miracle, cause I was at the bottom of the list, and I have weird antibodies, which made finding a donor next to impossible. Somehow how my mom did it. She didn't stop fighting until the heart was in my chest."

"Why doesn't that surprise me that Regina could acquire a heart?" Emma said laughing at her joke.

'I don't get." Mack just looked at her as if she lost her mind.

"Never mind it's not that important." Emma said smiling to herself.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Regina rubbed at her temple she had a horrible day. She looked at her eyes in the mirror. They were puffy and red; she had waited until her shift was over to cry. Her favorite patient passed away. He was a 12-year-old boy with lonely hazel eyes. His hair had fallen out from his cancer treatment. He was smart, funny and reminded her of someone she could not place. She had watched him decline over the last few months into a shell of his former self. Throughout everything, his smile never faded. _You cannot save them all. He is in a better place, no more pain. He will be able to run and play wherever he is. _She reminded herself on the drive home. She brushed the tears aside and did her best to compose herself, before going inside her apartment. All she wanted to do was take a bath and go to bed. She did not expect to see an unwelcomed guest watching T.V. with her daughter.

"Get out," Regina a said in a low stern voice leaving the door open. Emma flew up from the sofa and walked over to the older woman.

"Please just let me explain everything and once I am done, if you want me to leave I will."

"Get out." Regina said with the same low composed tone, but her eyes were starting to give her away. One tear had fallen and if Emma had been paying attention, she would have noticed something was wrong with the other woman.

"Please I am begging you. I really need your help."

"Mom she isn't lying, she showed me." Mack said getting up and walking over to where the other women were standing.

"Get out now! I am in no mood to deal with your crazy fairy tale nonsense." Regina demanded, her hands where clenched in fists of rage.

"Mom she can do magic, just look. Emma do something like make fire. Show my Mom what you showed me. It was so cool!" Mack said looking over at Emma.

"I can't, I'm out of fairy dust. My natural magic doesn't always work if I'm not in Story Brook kid. It's too unpredictable to use it here."

"Ok I have had enough of this nonsense, please leave me and my daughter alone. I am tired and it has been a rough day. So I would appreciate you finding someone else to help save your magical town, because I can't save anyone."

"Just listen to what I have to say."

"Mom please she isn't lying the place is real, you are really from there. You lost your memories from crossing the town border."

"Mackenzie please go to your room while I have a little chat with Ms. whatever your name is." Regina said looking at the other women.

"You know my name Regina."

"But…"

"Just go please." Regina said pointing to Mack's room, her voice was back to quiet and composed. Without a word, Mack walked into her room and slammed the door making Emma cringe a little bit.

"I am going to tell you one time and one time only. Stay away from my daughter. Keep your psychotic delusions to yourself. "

"Really this doesn't even feel slightly familiar to you. You don't feel like we have this talk before, maybe about a 10 year old boy." Emma said crossing her arm over her chest.

"No, not at all, I have no idea what you are taking about. I am sorry but I am not whoever the bizarre voices in your head tell you I am. I don't have a son."

"Does the name Daniel mean anything at all to you?"

"No."

"You were engaged to him, my mother Snow White told your mother Cora about him. Then Cora crushed his heart, ring any bells. Have you ever had a nightmare you couldn't explain?

"I am not having this ridiculous conversation any longer, leave or I am calling the police."

"I can prove it just give me your hand." Emma said holding out her hand. Instead Regina opened up her purse and pulled out a cell phone and dialed it."

"Tom can you come over right away? There is a strange woman at my home and she won't leave." She paused for a moment waiting for the person on the other end of the line to finish speaking. "Thanks and yes I would like to file one." She hung up the phone and looked at Emma.

"The sheriff is on his way and would love to hear about your little town. You should wait outside for him, goodnight."

"I don't have time for this. I need you need to remember now." Emma grabbed Regina and pulled her into a frantic forceful kiss. A gush of air flew out in swift burst of angry heat. The kiss only lasted a second before Regina pushed Emma off her and then punched her in the nose. Emma fell on her hands and knees. Then Regina fell to her floor holding her head.

"Oh my god." Mack said from the hallway, she had popped her head out when she heard her Emma tell her mother she did not have time and Mack saw the kiss. Mack ran over to her mother, and kneeled beside her.

"Son of a bitch, I think you broke my fucking nose." Emma said standing up and holding her hand up to her bloody noise.

"Watch your mouth Emma."

"What was that?" Mack said getting up and Handing Emma a towel.

"She needed to remember, I just helped her. The headache will go away in a little bit. Her brain is trying to deal with everything." As she held the towel to her, noise and tilted her head back.

"I didn't want to remember, and don't tilt your head back. Lean forward." Regina said grimacing and still holding her head.

"How did that work?"

"I am true love personified, thus if I kiss something that is cursed the curse will break. Hence, your mom got all her memories back."

"Oh." Mack said looking at Emma then her gaze turned to her mother. Regina was still on the floor her eyes were glazed-over. She was making face Mack had never seen before. It looked like a smile and regret at the same time. Then Regina got up and grabbed Emma's arm dragged her to the door and shoved her out. Regina locked the door. Emma started banging on it, as soon as she was outside.

"Mom are you ok?"

"Yes." Regina said putting her hand back up to her head and rubbing her throbbing temple.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Mom are you ok?"

"Yes." Regina said putting her hand back up to her head and rubbing her throbbing temple. She slid to the floor and crossed her arms over her knees, pulling them up to her chest. She sat there for several minutes not moving just staring off into space lost in her own head. Mack tried to shake her out of the trance but nothing she did was working. She yelled her name, and waved her hand in front of her face. Nothing, Regina would not respond to her at all. Emma was still outside pounding on the door.

Tears where streaming down Mack's face, at seeing her mother so broken. She stood up, marched over to the door and dragged Emma inside. Mack's adrenaline was rushing and she slammed Emma into a wall with all her strength. Mack was holding Emma by her shoulders. Emma had her arms in the air showing she had surrendered.

"Kid I'm not going to fight you."

"Fix her." Mack said screaming into the older woman's face.

"I can't, she did a lot of horrible things, now she is going have to come to terms with them."

"Look at her she's broken."

"She was broken before she left."

"Who do you think you are coming here destroying her like this? I believed in you, I trusted you."

"I needed her to remember her son. I am running out of time. Beside she did this to a whole town. She is just reaping what she sowed."

"I can't believe you did this." Mack said, barely able to get the words out, she was crying and shaking Emma.

"I didn't know she would react like this is. No one else did, sure they were shocked but no one shut down."

"Why?"

"I don't know maybe the new Regina can't handle the things that old Regina did. Maybe she could not take reliving everything that happens. She was a very bad person kid. "

"No she isn't, she is a good person. Nothing you will ever say can change my mind."

"You don't know her like I do. You never saw what was capable of, the things she did to people. She tried to kill my parents and me. She almost killed Henry once."

"No matter what she did in the past, she is still a good person. She isn't the person you knew. She was loving and caring. Everyone in this town loves her. No, she is a good person. Bad people don't take care of sick kids all day. Then come home and take care of another one. Bad people don't adopt a kid with a zillion medical problems. Bad people don't stay up all night making sure you're ok. " Mack said getting angry and shaking Emma. She raised her hand and was about to punch Emma.

"I'm ok, Mackenzie let her go." Regina said getting up to stand behind her daughter. Mack let Emma go and turned around to hug Regina.

"I'm ok, baby." Regina said wrapping her arms around her daughter, she kissed her on the forehead, and looked up at Emma.

"Emma please leave, I can't help you. I am sorry but I have a life here. I have a daughter to think about. You have upset her enough for a lifetime. "

"What about your old life? What about your son?"

"As you pointed out multiple times, on multiple occasions, he isn't my son. You're his hero and the savior I think you can handle saving Story Brook. It is your town now, I no longer have any desire to go back to that place. I found my happy ending here. I have the life I always wanted and no longer have any desire for revenge, or Henry's love. Trying to get him to love me was just as unhealthy as wanting my mother's love."

"Please." Emma dropped to her knees. "I can't do this without you."

"Have his father help you. You don't need me. He has his real family what does he need his fake mother for. "

"He's dead, Neal's dead." Emma, said looking up to a stunned wide-eyed Regina.

"Then what about Gold, I am sure he will help."

"Dead."

"That's not possible he is immortal." Regina shook head unable to comprehend what she had just heard. For the first time a look of true fear passed over her eyes but it was gone a moment after it appeared.

"Please I wouldn't have come here and asked you, but you're my last hope."

"If it killed Gold, what do you think I am going to be able to do? Take Henry and the two idiots and leave."

"I can't, things aren't that simple."

"The idiots are dead too." Regina said with a raised eyebrow and she almost seemed sad by the news.

"No my parents aren't dead yet."

"So just run away."

"People can't always run away from their problems sometimes you just need to face them."

"I didn't run away, I moved on there is a difference."

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Mack wiped the tears off her face and Regina let her go to answer the door. It was the sheriff; he was concerned and tried to come. Regina stopped him and assured him that the intruder had left and that she and Mack were fine. The sheriff did not seem satisfied but he left anyway. When Regina came back inside Emma looked confused.

"Why did you call him and then just send him away."

"You need to get home to your family. If there in as much danger as you say they are, getting you arrested isn't the right thing to do. Now leave because I can call him back at any time."

"You do care."

"I never said I didn't, I just I won't help you. There is a difference." Regina said opening the door for Emma to leave.

"Henry is the Dark One. It's why we can't just leave. " Emma finally blurted out.

"What?"


	7. Chapter 7

A/N- Thanks to everyone who took the time to read my story and respond.

Chapter 7

"Henry is the Dark One. It's why we can't just leave. " Emma finally blurted out.

"What?" Regina shook her head in complete disbelief. "NO…how…Henry…" Regina walked to the sofa and collapsed into it. Regina felt like someone stabbed her in the heart with a knife. She rubbed the back of her neck and tried to control her breathing. She became lost in her own thoughts. After a few minutes, she looked up at Emma with tears in her eyes. "You can't save him, and I won't help you stop him."

"You stopped using magic, why can't he?" Emma said getting on her hands and knees; she was in front of the brunette so they were looking eye to eye.

"If he is the Dark One he can't stop, his magic is too powerful, and there is no saving him. I tried to stop the dark one before. Nothing works; the only way to stop him is death. Once he has tasted the power of dark magic, nothing can stop him. It feels better than any drug. No one comes back from that."

"He is still Henry and wants to see you. In fact he said if I find you before his birthday he won't destroy the town."

"Henry actually asked to see me." Regina had a bit of optimism mixed in with sadness in her voice. Regina stared into dejected green eyes, attempting to see if the blonde was tricking her.

"Yes that's what my whole quest has been about, he misses you. He has even started to call me Emma again and referring to you as his mother."

"I don't believe you; he never viewed me as his real mom. You were always his hero. I was never good enough for him. Not since the moment, he found out about you. Besides if that was true he would have found me himself." Regina said shaking her head, skeptical about the blonde's claims.

"The fairies and I attempted to put a binding spell on his powers. It didn't work and now he can't leave Story Brook. It only made him even more hostile toward me. He loves you, Regina no matter what you think. He needs you now. Our son needs you, please, I need you. I have been trying but I can't do this anymore. I am no savor and you're no evil queen. Can't we just be us and save our son together. I fucked up so many times when it came to you and him. I am so sorry, I am sorry about everything. I should have looked for you when you left. I should have believed in you. I have been an ass. Please I need you; I need your help. I can't do this alone anymore. I should never have pushed you away I was wrong. I keep screwing up over and over, please."

"I can't help you even if I wanted to, the person who you knew is dead. She is gone forever, and the new me can't stop the Dark One. As much as I enjoy you groveling at my feet, it's not going to change my answer. Second, you can't bind the Dark One's powers." Regina said almost laughing at the absurd idea. "Third, you came all this way too drag me home for a Story Brook intervention. That won't work the dark magic corruption is absolute. Getting in a circle with Archie and singing Kumbaya is just plain ridiculous."

"So that's it your just going let him continue his downward spiral and do nothing." Emma said shaking her head.

"You don't get it, the only thing you can do to stop the dark one is kill him and I will not do that." Then a light went off in Regina's head. Regina grabbed Emma by the shoulders and shook her. "How could you let this happened he was such a good boy. You have to kill to become the Dark One, my baby killed someone." Regina said as the realization just hit her. _Henry had turned into her. The person he hated the most. Henry had turned into her the same way she turned into her mother. _Regina felt her resolve give way. She was about to agree to anything Emma asked, because the magic word for her had always been Henry.

"Wow." Mack said from across the room. Mack looked completely petrified by the conversion the older women where having. Regina looked up and walked over to wear she was standing. Regina knew what her answer had to be.

"Emma I have to think about my other child, it's completely irresponsible to run off and help you." Regina said looking at her daughter.

Emma stood up, pulled a letter out from her pocket, and handed it to Regina. The brunet took the letter and studied it for a moment then looked up at Emma. Emma stopped Regina before she could speck.

"Henry wrote it, I think you should read it.

_**I dreamed you were missing, I was so scared, but no one would listen,' Cause no one else cared. When I went to find you were already gone. I found your dairy and it reminded me of this song. Kind of lame but I thought you would like that it rhymed.**__  
When my time comes  
Forget the wrong that I've done  
Help me leave behind some  
Reasons to be missed  
And don't resent me  
And when you're feeling empty  
Keep me in your memory  
Leave out all the rest  
Leave out all the rest_

_**When I think about you, I left out all the rest, mom I left out all the rest.**__**The next part reminds me of you and Emma.**_

_Don't be afraid  
I've taken my beating  
I've shared what I've made  
I'm strong on the surface  
Not all the way through  
I've never been perfect __**(YOU)**__  
But neither have you (__**Emma)**__  
So if you're asking me  
I want you to know_

_**This part is about me.**__  
Forgetting all the hurt inside  
You've learned to hide so well  
Pretending someone else can come  
And save me from myself  
I can't be who you are __**(my grandparents)**_

_When my time comes  
Forget the wrong that I've done  
Help me leave behind some  
Reasons to be missed  
Don't resent me  
And when you're feeling empty  
Keep me in your memory  
Leave out all the rest  
Leave out all the rest  
__**I miss you so much, you have no idea how bad things got after you left. Sometimes I just sit in your study thinking about you. Hoping one day, you will come walking through those doors. You never do and I can't blame you. Be careful what you wish for, because I sure got it. I am sorry; I should never have told you I would be happier without you. That I had the family I always wanted. You were always enough. I wish the curse never broke.**_

_**Love Henry Mills **_

_**P.S. It's still Mills because I will always be your son. I guess it took you leaving for me to realize what I truly lost.**_

"You still think you can't save him. He isn't Gold, he is Henry. " Emma said looking into Regina's eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Story Brook 3 weeks earlier**

Henry sat in Regina's old study, multiple magic books spread out in front of him. He had become a collector of spell books. His first was his mother's she kept locked away. He always found the heart on the book reassuring. Since finding his mother's he stole the blue fairy's, all of Gold's, and even one of Cora's she had on her when his mother and Regina had stopped her. Snow and David tried to hide it, but one quick tracking spell and the book was his.

The magic inside him had been slowly poisoning his mind. The books did not help they just gave him a taste of power and he wanted more. The old Henry was dead. He had lost himself to the pain and power. Now all that was left was a monster. He had grown to hate everyone including himself. He had a plan though; he was going to fix his life. He might have to destroy a few people in the process but casualties were to be expected. If he was going to get the ending he deserved, sacrifices had to be made.

He had been over all his books a dozen times but he still could not get around the final detail of his spell. He needed a heart. Not just any heart would do. It had to be the heart of someone who cared about him. He could not use Emma; her magic would not allow him to take it. His charming grandparents had grown to hate him. He only had one option left.

He wrote the note quickly, smiling to himself at how simple and predictable everyone would be. _The charming's are nothing more than puppets. They will fall in line with my plan. I broke them they have no fight left. Emma will be just as easy. One empty threat to hurt her parents and burn this town down to the grown and she will cave. As for mother, she will come; she is nothing if not predictable. Then I will have everything I need. _

**3 weeks later back at Regina's apartment**

Regina held the letter in a shaky hand. Her fingers trailed over the words. She could not believe her son had written something so… charming. _My poor baby, this is all my fault. I should never have left him alone with those people. _Regina looked over to Mack, and she shook her head. _I can't run off to save him, I'm all she has. _

"Mom are you ok." Mack said starting to feel like a broken record. Her mother was the strongest person she had ever met. That was before she found about Henry. The boy did something to her mother.

"I don't know honey." Regina said her eyes never leaving the paper. Regina stood there conflicted. She loved her daughter and had the life she always wished for but he son needed her. Finally, after all this time he reached out for her. Maybe if she had someone anyone who was willing to fight for her soul she would not have ended up as the evil queen.

"Please, I need your help and maybe you can really change him. I hadn't seen him smile in a year, and when he gave me the letter, he had so much hope in his voice.

"Was that before or after he threatened to destroy your whole town?" Mack said suspicious of his motives.

"I know this whole thing sounds crazy to somebody that's never been to Story Brook. Henry may be the Dark One now, but I truly believe he needs Regina. He told me she is the only one who can save him. Trust me I would never have come here and bothered either of you if I had another option, but I don't. I am running out of time."

"You're just going to take the word of someone who refers to themself as the Dark One. You don't think maybe the evil lord is trying to trick you and my mother." Mack said crossing her arms over her chest and rolling her eyes.

"I do it, I will help him. Even if it is a trick, I will go. I will do it; I have to at the very least try. I owe him that much as his mother. Mackenzie if it was you I would try to save you too. " Regina's mind was made up she had to help him. "If anyone had been willing to help me, I would never have cast the curse in the first place. Magic lead me into a decent of insanity and darkness. I had an unquenchable quest for vengeance that left me with nothing but my own misery. I can't let that happen to my child."

"I know mom, but what if…." Mack trailed off unable to say what she was thinking, tears starting to form in her eyes. Regina turned to her and wiped the tears away. She smiled down at her daughter and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Honey I have magic too, and I am surprisingly strong, at one time my magic was said to rival the Dark One. You have nothing to worry about baby. Emma's magic is also extremely powerful. In another life, we stopped the most malevolent power hungry monster I have ever known. Together we were unstoppable. "

"Kid I won't let anything happen to your mom, she's right we really made quite the team."

"I wouldn't go that far, but when we combined our powers, nothing ever could stand against us."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Emma leaned against Regina's car waiting for her to give her good byes to her daughter. Regina had refused to let Mack go and arranged for her to stay with a family friend. It struck Emma how much different the new Regina was. Hell Regina's car was a 2014 yellow bug; the irony was not lost on her. Even when Regina was a completely different person, they still had so much in common.

Emma watched as Regina walked back to her car. Even her walk was different now. Before it was an angry forceful stomp, her head held high as if she was better than everyone else was. Now her head was at eye level, she was always graceful but now there was softness to her gait. Everything was so different about the older woman. Emma felt guilty because the sadness that Regina tried to hide from the world was back in her eyes. She may have always worn a happy mask when she was Mayor but Emma could always see the sadness behind her eyes.

"So I have to ask, what's with the car." Emma said getting into the passenger seat.

"I have no idea what you are taking about." Regina said focusing on starting the car and backing out of the driveway.

"Really a yellow bug, out of everything you bought this."

"I don't know why I bought it; I saw it and it sparked something inside me. At the time, I thought maybe buying it would trigger a memory. It never did, just a familiar feeling."

"What kind of feeling."

"I don't know, it felt important at that the time. I can't explain it, you wouldn't understand it was just a feeling. Seems pretty silly now, knowing what it really means."

"What do you think it really means."

"That as much as I hated you, you were still important to me." Regina said still refusing to look at Emma, her eyes completely focused on the road. Emma was leaning back in her seat and looking out the window.

"I am sorry I didn't follow you."

"I never expected any of you to. You were getting married and had your perfect family why would you. Henry had the life I could never give him. I would never be good enough for either of you. I don't regret leaving at all. I have a good life, I was finally happy. "

"Still I am sorry; I shouldn't have left everything the way I did."

"Emma it's in the past and you can't change the things that happened."

"I made the wrong choice, Regina. I should have picked you. I didn't marry him by the way." Emma said both women fell silent. Emma turned the radio on because the silence was making her crazy_._

_Trying to hold on, but you didn't even know  
Wasted it all just to watch you go  
I kept everything inside  
And even though I tried, it all fell apart  
What it meant to me  
Will eventually be a memory of a time when_

I tried so hard  
And got so far  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter  
I had to fall  
To lose it all  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter

One thing, I don't know why  
It doesn't even matter how hard you try,  
Keep that in mind  
I designed this rhyme,  
To remind myself of a time when  
I tried so hard  
In spite of the way you were mocking me  
Acting like I was part of your property  
Remembering all the times you fought with me  
I'm surprised it got so  
Things aren't the way they were before  
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore  
Not that you knew me back then  
But it all comes back to me in the end  
You kept everything inside  
And even though I tried, it all fell apart  
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when

Regina quickly turned the channel to anther station annoyed by how sad the song was making her and how much it reminded her of her former life.

_But in another life  
I would be your girl  
We keep all our promises  
Be us against the world_

In another life  
I would make you stay  
So I don't have to say  
You were the one that got away  
The one that got away  
The one, the one, the one  
The one that got away

_All this money can't buy me a time machine (Nooooo)  
Can't replace you with a million rings (Nooooo)  
I should've told you what you meant to me (Whoa)  
'Cause now I pay the price_

In another life  
I would be your girl  
We'd keep all our promises  
Be us against the world

It was Emma turn to fill uncomfortable and she turned the channel.

_I used to think one day we'd tell the story of us,  
How we met  
And the sparks flew instantly  
And people would say they're the lucky ones_

I used to know my place was a spot next to you,  
Now I'm searching the room for an empty seat  
Cause lately I don't even know what page you're on

Oh, a simple complication,  
Miscommunications lead to fallout,  
So many things that I wish you knew  
So many walls up that I can't break through

Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room  
And we're not speaking  
And I'm dyin' to know  
Is it killing you  
Like it's killing me?  
Yeah  
I don't know what to say since a twist of fate, when it all broke down  
And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now

"Just turn off the damn radio, it's giving me a headache." Regina said glaring at Emma.

"Oh the new you, swears." Emma said smiling at the angry brunette.

"Only when the situation calls for it."

"Oh an old Taylor Swift song calls for it huh." Emma said poking the other woman.

"Stop it, Emma it's been 6 years for you, but for me it feels like everything happen yesterday. This isn't easy for me."

"I like the new you. I liked the old you too. I guess I just like you." Emma said turning in her seat to stare at the older woman.

"Don't Emma."

"Aren't you going to even ask me, why I didn't fallow you? Or how Henry became the dark one?"

"Honestly I don't even care."

"You're lying; I can still tell when you are."

"You can tell when anyone lies, I'm nothing special."

"Yes you are and you know it. You were always special."

"I assumed you didn't follow me because you got married to make mommy happy and was living the life you always wanted."

"I didn't fallow you because for once I wanted you to come back on your own. I was sick of chasing you. I didn't know you lost your memories."

"You never chased me, instead you ran off with Henry's father." Regina said getting angry and turning the radio on full blast.

_She always belonged to someone else_

I drove for miles and miles  
And wound up at your door  
I've had you so many times but somehow  
I want more

I don't mind spending everyday  
Out on your corner in the pouring rain  
Look for the girl with the broken smile  
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile  


_And she will be loved  
She will be loved_

Tap on my window knock on my door  
I want to make you feel beautiful  
I know I tend to get so insecure  
It doesn't matter anymore

Emma turned the radio off, "I think the fates want us to finish our talk. You were the one who said we would never be anything. You were the one who said you did not love me. You're the one who ran away. If you felt that way, why did you leave when I told you I was getting married? If I meant nothing to you why did you run away?" Regina ignored her and turned the radio back on.

_What hurts the most  
Was being so close  
And having so much to say  
And watching you walk away  
And never knowing  
What could have been  
And not seeing that loving you  
Is what I was tryin' to do_

"Ok no more radio." Regina said leaning over and slamming the power button. "Ok Emma what did you do to totally fuck up our son?"


	10. Chapter 10

Lost chapter 10

"Ok where do I even start with this story." Emma said shaking her head trying to find the words to explain her son's descent into madness. "You had already left and I called the wedding off. You were right all along, I didn't love Neil anymore. I was marring him just to make my parents happy. If you would have stuck around I could have told you that a long time ago."

"You could have come and found me at any time." Regina said griping the steering wheel.

"Anyway, I was still trying to figure my life out after you left. I made a few questionable decisions." Emma said while fidgeting nervously in her seat.

"What did you do?" Regina said Turing her head to look at Emma, an eyebrow raised.

"Ok so you left and I called everything off with Neil. Things were hard for me I was confused."

"You keep repeating yourself."

"My parent couldn't figure out why I didn't want to be with Neil. It's not like I had anyone to talk to, I sure as hell wasn't going to Archie. Henry was mad at me because I destroyed his image of a perfect family. Everything was spiraling out of control. I couldn't make my parents happy, I couldn't make our son happy. Neil hated me for rejecting him, and you were gone. I felt so alone, so one night I got drunk and had a one-night stand with Killian. It didn't mean anything. "

"Really how is this even important Emma, or are you just trying to hurt me. All you have just proven is you're a slut." Regina said with a clenched jaw, unable to look Emma in the eye.

"I have only had sex with 2 guys in 6 years; I am far from a slut."

"Really Hook, that's just…" Regina grimaced "Not right." The brunet said shaking her head at the revolting idea of _her Emma with Captain Eye liner._

"He had a sensual smolder; he was sexy in a pretty metro sexual pirate sort of way. He talks dirty and isn't afraid to…"

"That is disturbing and disgusting, please no more details." Regina said interrupting the story gaging at Emma's description of the Captain.

"He wasn't disgusting, Hook was an evil jerk but I wasn't looking for happily ever after with him. I just wanted sex. Sometimes people just want a hard dirty fuck. He was more than willing, unlike some people who will remain nameless." Emma said looking over to Regina.

"Gross, I really could have done without hearing about your vulgar sexcapdes. Why couldn't you have done that with Henry's father?"

"I told you I just wanted sex. With Neil, it would have been like reopening old wounds. Anyway, Hook of all people, wanted more than sex. One night of drunken debauchery wasn't enough. I only bedded him in the first place because I didn't think there would be any strings attached, I was wrong. "

"Imagine that, another man wanting you to settle down with them. I really don't see how rehashing your sex life with me is explaining anything about our son." Regina said rolling her eyes.

"I am getting to it. Hook started to go crazy and confronted Neil. Hook was convinced Neil was the reason I did not want to be with him. Apparently the Captain couldn't handle rejection."

"So they were both fighting over you and you…."

"I didn't want ether of them, and by the way running off to go find you when Hook was a volatile love sick mess wasn't going to happen. Last thing I needed was him going after you too.

Hook ended up getting really drunk one night and followed Neil. They got in a fistfight in front of Henry. Neil punched Hook first and they wrestled around on the ground. Killian was badly beaten but at the last second, he caught Neil just right and sliced his throat with his hook. I didn't get there in time to heal Neil. He died in Henry's arms. Henry was inconsolable, and hook was a drunken mess. When Gold found out that Hook killed his son, he had a nervous brake down and nearly destroyed the whole town. Gold went after Hook but apparently, Hook found the Dark One's dagger and somehow killed Gold. So... Hook became the Dark One. Henry became obsessed with stoping him. My parents and I were just trying to keep everything from falling apart. Hook was out of control with power. He killed all of the fairies. We tried building something to contain him but nothing worked. I spent so much time trying keep everyone else safe. I did not notice Henry slipping away. He found one of your old magic books, the one with the heart. Henry secretly started using magic. It was slowly poisoning him."

'You should have found me sooner."

"So Hook could kill you too."

"You told Mack everyone was happy I left. It sounds like the town went completely to hell."

"The whole town was happy you left. They thought they were going to get there happily ever after. I was miserable because you left. I wasn't going to tell your kid that though. It was all my fault, everything went to hell. I pushed you out of my life. Then I thought I could fuck the pain away. I was wrong, I didn't think one night could trigger everything. It made Hook go crazy, then Gold, and finally Henry was the last victim. Some savior I made."

"You had no idea that would be the fall out," Regina added quietly.

"Henry somehow managed the get ahold of the dagger when he was 15. Hook was still in love with me so he would never hurt him. In the end, Henry ended up literally stabbing him in the back. He was the only person Hook would not attack on site besides me. Not even my parents thought our son was capable of killing someone. We were all wrong. After that the power that consumed Hook, also took Henry. At first we all thought Henry would be able to fight the dark magic, but he didn't. It consumed him and there was no stopping his rage. He wanted to make everyone pay. He wanted the town and my parents to suffer for what they did to you. Hook was bad but Henry made him look like a saint. I could at least talk to Hook. I can't even tell you all of the horrible things he has done. He hates me, because he blames me for Neil's death."

"I should never have left. I thought I was doing the right thing. He was finally going to have the life he always wanted. He had his real Mom and Dad. I didn't think he needed me. It was just so hard watching everything. Watching the life I wanted being lived by someone else. Emma, as much as I hate to admit it you had no idea Hook would turn our son into a lost boy."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Last few chapters may seem a bit vague but that is because as the story goes on I want each character to give their viewpoint of the past. Right now, all you have seen was Emma's. Things will come together in the next few chapters. If it is still not making sense and things still seem off then I will scrap the last few chapters and start over. I do not have a beta so the things I think sound good don't always translate when others read my stories. Thanks for the commits, I always appreciate constructive reviews.

Chapter 11

Emma and Regina stood outside of Regina's car stranded on the road. It had started raining in the middle of the night and Regina hit something in the road and swerved into a ditch. Her cell phone was dead and Emma could not get any reception. The nearest gas station was 5 miles back and the rain was not letting up. If her phone had been working, she would have found out Mack never came home from school.

Story Brook

Mack arrived at Story Brook alone, she had called herself in sick to school, that gave her almost 9 hours before anyone would miss her. One stolen map and three different buses later she had almost made it. She had to walk the last 2 miles through woods, but she was not going to miss the adventure of a lifetime.

As she got closer to where the map told her to go the harder it became to stay focused. A dense fog surrounded her all of sudden. She ended up lost and slightly disorientated. Emma had said something about reenacting a cloaking barrier to protect the people that remained. Mack did not listen; she was a stubborn teenager and had no doubt in her mind that she would be able to find the town.

After several hours of tramping around the forest, Mack was completely lost. It had rained the night before and her shoes were covered in mud. Her legs were killing her and she hadn't brought any water with her. It was freezing and her light sweater was useless. She collapsed beside a tree. Pulling her legs to her chest, she began to cry, cursing herself for thinking she could find a hidden town.

_At least things cannot get any worse_. Mack was pulled out of her thoughts by a pack of enormous, furious looking wolves circling her. The largest one stared her down until he finally pounced on top of her. His claws dug into her shoulder causing her to wince with pain. His immense white teeth hovering dangerously close to her neck. She had almost died multiple times. At one point, she even came to terms with it. Though she never pictured dying like this, she closed her eyes hoping it would at least be quick.

She felt a harsh gust of wind and the wolf was knocked off her. When she opened her eyes, a tall dark hooded figure stood protectively over her. The pack still surrounding them growling and poised to attack. The dark figure's hand started to glow, and a radiant orb formed, then the figure launched it at the pack, then anther and anther. All of the wolves scattered in different directions. The dark figure grabbed her arm

"What the hell are you doing in my forest?" His voice was deep and harsh. His eyes were dark, angry and unforgiving. She could barely make out his other features the hood obscuring the rest of his head.

'I was…" Mack was unable to speak. "I got lost… I was looking for my mom and I got lost." Mack knew how lame it sounded but he was scarier than the wolves.

"You have no business in this forest, it's dangerous."

"I am sorry." Mack could not believe she was apologizing to Mr. Tall, Dark and Brooding.

"What are you," he glared down at her.

"A girl," Mack stated, obviously confused by the question.

"Red's wolves don't attack innocent people on sight."

"Red?" Mack asked even more confused. The man shook her hard and squeezed her shoulder where the wolf's claws had been. Mack grimaced, from the pain. The man relaxed his grip, but his eyes never softened.

"Don't play dumb, what are you doing here. You clearly smell like something they don't like. " He started to shake Mack.

"I told you, I was looking for my mom and got lost." Mack said pushing the man's hands off her shoulder and taking a step forward_. If he going to kill me I am not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how scared I am._ "Do you always manhandle girls? Or am I just special." Mack said crossing her arms over her chest, while trying to look as intimidating as possible. The man looked surprised and then enraged, he turned and started to walk away.

"You're just going to leave me here to die, after you just saved me." Mack yelled following the man. He refused to acknowledge her, just slowing his pace slightly. "Really your just going to save me, yell at me, shake me, then run away. What you can't deal with someone standing up to you." He turned to her his gaze sharp and unforgiving; he wrapped his hand around her neck. The other started to burn red and he held it above his head.

"Watch your mouth, I can kill you were you stand." His face was inches from Mack's, close enough to fill his hot breath. Mack struggled against his grip to no avail.

"I am not scared of you; and I am sure as hell not afraid of dying. You're just a bully throwing around your supposed power."

"Supposed power." He looked up at his hand and started to laugh. "Are you blind or just stupid, I created fire out of nothing. That's real power."

"Real power has nothing to do with how strong you are. Real power comes from the person you are on the inside." Mack said kicking the man in the shin, he let her go and reached down to rub his leg. He was surprised by her rash behavior. Mack took a steep back, "Besides being powerful is like being a lady." Mack pointed to herself. "If you have to …"

"Tell people you are, you aren't." The man finished "I heard that before." He almost smiled at hearing her say that. "Something my mother would tell me when I was a kid." The man said pushing back his hood revealing a much younger teenage boy. "You really have no idea what you just walked into do you? Come on I will show you how to get out of the forest, then take the main road and in a few miles. It leads to a bus stop. Then you go back to wear ever you came from. This is no place for a runaway. "

"I am not a runaway; I told you what I was doing."

"I can tell when people are lying and kid, your lying." His voice soften and his eyes lost their original fire.

"Why the sudden change of heart." Mack said trying to change the subject.

"You remind me of someone I use to know." Then her grabbed her hand with a firm grip, and started to pull her to the edge of the forest. She tried to resist but he would not loosen his hold.

"You have got to be the strangest person I have ever met, one minute you're saving me the next you're strangling me."

"Yeah well most people have enough sense not to provoke my rage."

"I wonder how anyone can prevent it; you have a pretty short fuse." The teenager refused to speak to her instead he ignored her commits and continued to pull her along.

Mack's body was starting to betray her now that the adrenaline had worn off. She was barely able to keep up with the teen's long strides and the lack of water was making her dizzy. Her shoulder still burned from the wolf's attack. Mack ended up stumbling and falling into the strangers back, he turned around in enough time to help lower to the ground. He knelled down and put his hands on her shoulders. Mack was too week to struggle against his hold. His hands started to glow a light purple color. It slightly burned when he touched her. When she looked down the scratches were completely healed. The teen snapped his fingers and a bottle of water appeared, he shoved it in to her hands and sat down beside her.

"You are defiantly the weirdest person I have ever met." Mack said threw chattering teeth.

"Well you're defiantly the most reckless person I have ever met." He said under his breath, while taking his jacket off and wrapping it around the Mack. "So are you going to tell me who you are? Because I have just used magic in front of you and you didn't seem surprised once."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Emma made Regina wait until the rain stopped and visibility was better before they began to walk. It took them several hours to reach the local gas station and get a tow to the nearest repair shop. Regina was going crazy with worry the whole time. She had never left Mack alone this long since the day she gained custody of her. Regina was franticly trying to call her friend and then Mack's cell phone. When she finally reached her friend she found out Mack was still not back from school. Mack left a message saying she had detention. Regina became even more hysterical at hearing that.

"I am sure her phone is only off because she still stuck in school." Emma said trying to defuse Regina.

"My daughter has never gotten into trouble her whole life, and I highly doubt she would start the day after I left. Something isn't right." Regina said while trying to call the school, the line going straight to voice mail. Emma walked over to Regina grabbed her shoulders, and turned her so they were making eye contact.

"Mack is a good kid; I'm sure whatever happened was a misunderstanding. I'm sure she will call you in a little bit and everything will be fine."

"No I should never have come with you. If something happened to her and I was not there, I would never be able to forgive myself." Regina said shaking her head and trying to pull away. Emma would not let Regina escape from her grasp.

"I am sure she is fine, just wait a little longer."

Story Brook

"Well you're defiantly the most reckless person I have ever met." He said under his breath, while taking his jacket off and wrapping it around Mack. "So are you going to tell me who you are? Because I have just used magic in front of you and you didn't seem surprised." His disposition changed seeing how weak the girl was, yet still having the courage to stand up to him.

"Haven't you ever heard of shock?"

"Shock?"

"I was just in an extremely strange situation; first I am almost eaten to by ravenous wolves. Then you come save me only to threaten to kill me. Not to mention I was freezing, I haven't eaten or had anything to drink all day. So sorry I didn't stop in awe and amazement at your magic." Mack said sarcastically, looking over to the teen who was almost smiling at her response. He looked so much younger than when she first saw him. His brown hair hung down to his shoulders, wild and untamed. His face had a youthful golden stubble that looked like it took months to grow.

"Do you have a name, or should I just refer to you as reckless."

"I will tell you mine if you tell me yours."

"Henry." Mack tried her best not to act any different after hearing the teen's name.

"Mackenzie," she held out her hand for him to shake, which he did not. _He is such a jerk. _Then Mack noticedHenry's eyes were focused on something in the distance. There was a growling noise and Mack looked up to see the wolf pack circling around them.

"Sure there isn't something your hiding; they are desperately trying to track you." Henry pointing to the pack then he stood up._ Like the woman who raised you is my mom. Or that I know you are the Dark One, Nope not hiding anything. _Mack stayed quite afraid of what Henry would do if he found out who she really was.

"Sorry boys, she's with me." Henry picked up a rock and threw it at the alpha, causing him and the rest of the pack to scatter.

"Fine keep your secrets, are you feeling any better." He said putting out a hand to help Mack up. Mack looked at it as if it was poison.

"What's with the sudden bipolar change?" She said pushing his hand away and getting up on her own.

"I told you, you remind me a lot of someone."

"Really, who?"

"You have your secrets and I have mine. Let's just say I never knew how much she meant to me until she wasn't there anymore. " Henry said starting to walk away.

"I guess that's true of most things." Mack followed him. They walked in silence for a while. Then Henry turned to Mack.

"So what are you running away from?"

"I told you I am not a run away. I have a great life and the best mom anyone could ask for. I came all this way to help her with something…a project an old acquaintance needed help with. We got separated that's it."

"Whatever you say kid, come on lets go get you some food. Then you're going back where ever you came from."

"Why don't you just make some out of magic?"

"Magical food tastes awful." They continued to walk in silence until they came across what appeared to be a glowing barrier that seemed to block the forest from the town. Henry stopped Mack, and then his hands started to glow purple. He pushed against the barrier and a hole opened. He gestured for Mack to move inside and then he quickly followed behind her.

"What was that?"

"I am technically grounded to the forest. As you can see, I still sneak out and do whatever I want, whenever I want. It's just easier to let them think they have some control." Henry said to Mack who stood there dumbfounded.

"That's a pretty harsh punishment." Mack almost felt bad for him. Then she remembered Emma saying they could not keep him locked in any prison and Mack wondered just want her new companion was capable of if everyone made him stay in the woods.

"Come on we have to sneak past the guards. It won't be hard my…" he paused for a second considering his words" Charming is on Duty. He is so easy to distract, watch this." Henry quickly lit a fireball and threw it over the armed men. Charming ordered all his men to the spot where the fireball fell. Henry grabbed Mack's arm and they ran in the opposite direction. They ended up ducking behind a car and watching as the guards searched the whole area.

"Why do they have so many people patrolling the barrier?" Mack whispered to Henry. He shrugged, and then looked down at the ground.

"Me, the whole town is afraid of me. I have a pretty bad temper."

"I am not."

"Well no one ever accused you of being smart." Henry said then Mack punched him in the shoulder. He looked at her and she just grinned back at him. "What, you're either the dumbest person I have ever met or you know way more than you're letting on."

"Remember you have your secrets and I have mine."

"Right, come on making Charming crazy losses it charm after a while." Henry said pulling Mack along.

"Ha, ha, ha, you're so clever," Mack said mocking Henry. They snuck around to the back of Grannie's and Henry knocked on the back door. He waited for a response, and the door opened to revile a pretty Auburn haired woman with sparking blue eyes.

"Henry what are you doing, you know you're not allowed to be here." The Auburn haired woman said frowning at him.

"We were hungry, I promise to go back just hook me up with some food please Belle. I won't cause any trouble."

"Who's your friend?" Belle said smiling and reaching out her hand to shake Mack's hand.

"Belle this is Mackenzie. Mackenzie, Belle."

"Hi, nice to meet you," Mack said shaking the older woman's hand.

"I will get you something to eat, but first you have to tell me why you were picking on my wives pets again."

"I wasn't. That's how we met, they tried to attack her. I was being a gentleman and saved her."

"Gentleman is a massive stretch; you also threatened to kill me."

"Henry," Belle looked appalled. Henry rolled his eyes at Mack.

"She is being dramatic, I did not."

"You strangled me and held a fireball by my head."

"Henry," Belle shook her head "That is no way to treat anyone. Now apologize to her and I will go get you some food."

"I know it wasn't nice and I'm sorry," Henry said to Mack. Belle left and Mack spun to look him.

"Really armed guards patrolling the streets, everyone is scared of you. Yet some waitress tells you to play nice and you listen. You are truly the oddest person I have ever met. I just don't get it at all."

"She was very close with my grandfather; after he died we stayed close. Belle is the only person in this whole town I can tolerate. Sometimes she still helps me out." Henry said shrugging his shoulders. Belle returned with some to go meals.

"Better get out of here before Ruby catches you hanging around." Belle said handing them the food. Henry nodded thanked her and he and Mack left. When Belle went inside Ruby came running in the front door of the diner.

"Have you seen Henry, Fenrir and the rest of the pack lost his trail. Charming said there was some action at the broader. He still might have that strange girl with him. The wolves still do not trust her, apparently she smells like Regina. At first, they thought it was her in disguise. There is defiantly something strange about her."

"I am sure the wolves will catch his sent again. Why would the wolves attack Regina anyway?"

"She is on the list of people who aren't allowed to enter the barrier without being accompanied by Emma. Who knows what would happen if Henry got to her first and convinced her to join him. They could easily destroy what is left of the line. Have you seen him, don't cover for him he is a murderer."

"He was here, I gave him some food. He said he would return to the forest."

"What about the girl?"

"She is defiantly not Regina, and I don't think she is evil."

"You also don't think that vicious killer is evil."

"I never said that, I said there is still good in him.

"Baby that's your whole problem," Ruby said wrapping her arms around Belle's waist and putting her head on Belle's shoulder. "You think people still have good in them even when they don't."

"I never gave up on you, no matter how lost you got after Victor's death." Belle said turning her head to look at her wife.

Henry made them stay to the shadows until they ended up at his old house on 108 Mifflin Street. Mack's eyes grew wide when Henry let her in.

"Wow!" Mack looked around the mansion, "I can't believe you live here."

"Come on kid, let's eat." Henry said showing Mack to the dining room. She keep looking around and trying to picture her mother in a house like this. The woman she knew would never want anything so elaborate, the Regina she knew liked simple things. As beautiful as the white house was it still seemed so cold and unwelcoming, that was not her mother. Her mother as warm and comforting, this place was not her.

"Earth to Kenzie." Henry said waving his hand over her face.

"That's not my name; if you're going to shorten it call me Mack." She frowned up at him.

"Nope, I like Kenzie better."

"I am sure you are used to people giving in to you, but I am not going to. Respect my one request." Mack crossed her arms over her chest.

"Um let me think about it, nope. I don't want to be like everyone else, plus Kenzie is a great side kick name, Mack is so boring."

"You never struck me as the hero type, and I am sure as hell no one's side kick." Mack said raising her eyebrow. Henry shrugged, and then turned to walk away.

"I use to, when I was a kid. Nobody ever dreams of growing up to be the town monster. I was going to be a white knight."

"So what are you the Dark Knight now?" Mack said without thinking.

"Close, come on kid let's eat." They sat down and ate in silence.

"Henry what did you do make everyone so afraid of you." Mack said quietly not looking up from her food. Henry sat there quite for a moment then spoke.

"If I tell you something about me then you have to tell me something about you."

"Ok."

"Where are you from?"

"Why do I have to go first?"

"My game, my rules."

"Your rules suck."

"New York, why is everyone afraid of you?"

"I have magic, this town is afraid of me because they don't understand me. Why weren't you surprised by magic?"

"I told you I was in shock, besides maybe there is a small part of me that always believed in magic, and miracles, hell I am one. Do you have any friends?"

"No, how are you a miracle."

"I almost died when I was little, I had a messed up heart, but the lady who adopted me went out of her way to get me on top of the transplant list. She saved life and now I am healthy."

"I was adapted to," Henry said quietly. "Are you looking for your real parents is that why you left?"

"The woman who adopted me is my real parent. I have no desired to ever meet my egg and sperm donor."

"Don't you ever wonder where you came from?"

"It doesn't matter; where I came from isn't where I plan on going, besides it would hurt my mom way too much if I tried to find my egg donor."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Mack excused herself to go to the bathroom. Once she was finished, she started to look around the mansion. She stumbled upon Regina's old office. What she found in there surprised and scared the hell out of her. Magic books, list of spells, blood in jars, samples of hair, and sparkling powder were scattered all over the desk. There was a heart in the center of the table, with a giant hook through it. Behind the table was a poster of names, some scratched out in blood Frankenstein, Mad Hatter, and Grumpy. Snow White was in the center, Emma and Charming to the side. Other names Mack couldn't make out were scribbled around the edges. _Oh my god, big brother is a serial killer who collects hearts, and blood. I knew he was crazy but I did not know he was a murder. _

"What are you doing?" Henry yelled from the doorway. He marched in and grabbed Mack's arm. "You had no right to come in here." Henry screamed.

"Let me go you psychopath." Mack yelled back in his face.

"You had no right to come in here."

"You're a fucking monster." Mack said vainly trying to escape from Henry.

"You don't know me; you have no idea what I have been through. They deserved to die. You have no idea what they did."

"No one ever deserves to die, no matter what they did."

"They hurt my Mom." Henry said pulling Mack over to the table, pushing a book into her hands. "They destroyed my Mom." Henry's voice softened and he looked defeated.

"What are you taking about."

"I found this book after she left. I never knew all of the terrible things that she went through."

"That doesn't give you any right to kill them, no matter what they did."

"I had to do something."

"And that's only logical for a psychopath to say, you're a horrible monster." Henry opened the book, shoved it in Mack's hands, and pointed to a page.

"Read, things are different in my world. They turned my mother into a monster. Don't judge me until you at least read this. They destroyed her innocence. The supposed good guys crushed her spirit. If I was a monster, I could have easily killed you but I didn't. This town, these people all deserve what I am going to give them. When she comes back she will be happy and forgive me for all of the terrible things I did to her too." Henry said letting Mack go and sliding to the ground. He started slamming his head against the back of the desk and punching the floor.

"Henry stop." Mack said setting on the floor next to him.

"I was a horrible son, I have done a lot of very bad things, but nothing hurts me as much as what I did to her."

"What happened?"

"I told her she wasn't my mother over and over again, yet she always fought for me. She gave up magic for me, she went out of her way to be the person I always wanted. You know how I returned her love. With nothing but hate. When I was a kid, the world was black and white, no shades of gray. I went and found my bio Mom and dragged her back here. I put her on a pedestal, nothing she did was ever wrong. She was a hero and that made my mom the villain. I told the woman who raised me for 10 years that she meant nothing to me. My bio Mom was going to merry my bio Dad, I was so happy. I thought that's how it should be." Henry had tears running down his face.

"You were just a kid."

"I told the woman who raised me I never wanted to see her again. That I was happy with my new life, I did not want or need her in it. I told her I hated her. I never thought she would really leave. Or if she did that it would hurt so much."

"Henry."

"You're the first person in a long time that didn't look at me like I was a monster, even after I yelled at you."

_I am having a hard time feeling sorry for you. You made those choices and now you're blaming everyone else, and on top of that you're killing people. Maybe I could have dealt with the whole killing people thing, If you didn't collect body parts and blood. What have I gotten myself into? _

At service station

Emma hung up the phone she was pale. Charming called here the moment Ruby informed him that there was a strange blonde girl in the woods with Henry.

"I have good news and terrible news."

"What's the good news?"

"Good news, David knows where Mack is."

"What!" Regina started pacing back and forth like a caged animal. "The car needs to get fixed now."

"She was seen in the wood; apparently my Dad isn't the only one good at finding people. Your kids also have the talent."

"I am in no mood for your stupid commits."

"Charming said he is keeping tabs on her, but she's with Henry." Emma cringed, waiting for Regina's response. Regina stopped dead in her tracts with a look of pure horror on her face. "We will rent a car and leave now." Emma said to a stunned Regina still not moving just staring into straight ahead.

"I should never have agreed to help you. Since the day I met you, you have done nothing but destroy my life."

"Regina I am sorry, I didn't know she would follow you."

"No I should have known better, I should have let you clean up the mess you made. "

"Regina, I am sorry."

"You're sorry, what if he hurts her. What if…."Regina paused and stepped in front of Emma getting inches from her face. "I don't even want to think about what he is capable of with all his power. You know that kind of magic corrupts, it makes you go crazy."

"We will leave now; if we drive fast we can make it there in a few hours."

"Emma if anything happens to my daughter, you will wish that I killed you when I am finished with you."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

As the car pulled into town, Regina noticed Story Brook was a shadow of its former self. A thick layer of fog hung over everything, the buildings crumbed down around her. It looked like a tornado had ripped through town and no one had bothered to restore anything. There was an air of dread you could feel the moment the car crossed the border. The whole town felt like another world, Regina had not felt anything like this in years. The dark magic had polluted the environment. It was everywhere.

"A lot has changed since you left."

"I see that." Regina said shaking her head in disbelief. A man in full body armor, helmet and everything was standing at the border with Red in partial body armor. Regina noticed only four dwarfs stood with them, all in body armor as well. She did not see Snow anywhere. A few other people stood with them but none Regina could place. Emma stopped the car and got out, Regina followed closely behind her.

"Regina" Charming said removing his helmet his voice low and hostile.

"Where is my daughter?" Regina said crossing her arms over her chest.

"She was last seen getting food with Henry. They seem like… friends. " Charming pointed to the militia. "We felt it was best not to engage them at this time. Henry wasn't hurting the girl and she followed him of her own free will. "

"So you let two teenagers run around town by themselves and now they're alone somewhere. That's really great; you are the biggest idiot I have ever met."

"Sometimes it's best to not upset him. I have to think of this town first. We can't risk everyone else's life for one girl." Charming said growling at the other woman.

"If anything happens to her, there will be nothing left of your town."

"I told you Emma, this was a bad idea. We should never have given into his demands. You should never have brought that witch back here. Now were going to have to deal with her and that monster." Charming spat at his daughter. Regina noticed he looked like he aged 30 years since the last time she saw him. His hair was completely grey; wrinkles ravaged his once handsome face. He looked every bit old enough to be Emma's father now. No longer the strong nobleman, he was broken now, she saw it in his eyes. Something caused the once charming man to lose his spark.

"She is our only hope to save him. I still believe he is worth saving." Emma yelled back in her father's face.

"That freaking monster is beyond saving. This was a bad idea. You have wanted to drag that woman back since the day she left." Charming said glaring at Regina. "Now she is here and you are going to regret bringing her to him. Nothing good has ever come from that boy. Nothing good has ever come from her." Charming said pointing to Regina.

"You don't know her or where she has been. She has been a good person for a very long time, and I believe he is worth saving. She might also be the only person who can save your wife." Emma said getting in her father's face.

"That person will never have it inside her to save my wife, she will probably smile and pat the abomination on the back for a job well done, and you brought her here.

"She can save him, and maybe that will save Mom."

"No this was a bad idea. Now we just have anther monster to deal with, at least this one I can kill." Charming said reaching for his gun. Regina's hands started to glow red; she surprised herself how easy magic came back to her. She stood ready for Charming's attack when Emma grabbed her inflamed hand putting out the fire and turned back to her father.

"NO, I did everything you always wanted and it cost me everything. This time we are doing it my way, and no one is going lay a finger on her."

"Guys, fighting each other won't help anyone." Ruby said stepping between everyone and pushing Emma away.

"Then you do it alone, I am not helping you." Charming looked around, "We're not risking our lives because you stupidly think that," Charming pointed to Regina "will save anyone."

"You're wrong, she isn't alone, she has me. David you have surprised me, in your old age you have become quite the coward. Letting your daughter save what's left the town without your help. " Regina said from behind Emma.

"She stopped being my daughter when she left to find you."

Henry allowed Mack to read their mother's dairy. The things inside it made her cringe. She thought her childhood had been bad. It did not compare to the things her mother had been through. From an abusive manipulative mother, to the girl she saved betraying her. She had to reread the part where her mother's true love's heart had been ripped from his chest and crushed in front of her. Henry explained why he killed each person. They all had a part in destroying her. She could tell that her mother had slowly gone crazy with each entry becoming darker. Everything inside the book became about one thing, hurting Snow White.

"What happen to Snow White?" Mack said as she finished reading the book." Last thing in here is about the curse being cast." Mack said looking up at the boy who just shrugged and look away. "Did you…"

"No." Henry took a deep breath. "No she isn't dead, just a sleep. I used my mother's sleeping curse on her and then trapped her behind a death curse so no one can get to her to save her. "

"Death curse?"

"That's what I call it, it's a field around her, and if a person inters it they will age at a rapid rate. They will never be able to reach her because they will die of old age first, hence the death part."

"Did anyone ever try?"

"Her true love did once; he put his foot in and age about 20 years before the sheriff tackled him and wouldn't let him go in again. He begged me to put him under the curse too. I repaid the cowards begging by blocking his dreams so he couldn't visit her in his sleep. He has slowly gone insane, never to be with his true love again in this world or the next." Mack looked horrified when Henry told her. He still had no idea she knew he was taking about his own family.

"That's awful."

"It's only fair; Snow White did the same thing to my mother. So I took her true love away."

"Do you really think doing all of these things will really make your mother happy?" Henry shrugged again.

"I was a horrible son and she left me. I needed to make it up to her, give her what she always wanted. That way maybe she will forgive me for what I did to her and what I am…"Henry did not finish his sentence he just took the book away from Mack

"What if she isn't the person who wrote all of this stuff anymore? What if she changed, what if seeing you do all of these things doesn't make her happy."

"People don't change, they just fool themselves into thinking they can."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"You act like you know so much about my Mother." Henry said glaring at the girl from behind the old oak desk. Then his attention shifted, his eyes darting back to the drawer. He slowly looked up with knowing eyes as the realization hit him.

"I was just saying maybe, she isn't the person you remember." Mack said shifting her weight. She could not look the older boy in the eyes. Henry got up from his chair walked over to where she was standing and turned to face her.

"Tell me something, you seem pretty interested in my mom. At first, I thought you might have been her in disguise, but you're not. She wouldn't have been so upset with the room." He looked Mack in the eye unsure of who she really was. "So I asked myself who you could possibly be. You're not afraid of magic which means you have seen it before, the wolves attacked you yet you seem to be a genuinely descant person. So who are you really?" Mack retracted from Henry's over powering presence.

"I never lied to you."

"No you just didn't tell me everything. When did she adopt you?" Henry glared down at Mack, she seemed so small to him.

"Who?"

"Our Mother." His eyes softened and he let the girl go and sat back down behind the desk. Mack stood speechless for a few minutes.

"What are you going to do to me?"

"Nothing, you're free to leave." He waved his hand and opened the door with magic. He spun his chair so it was facing the window and refused to look at Mack any more.

"What's the catch?"

"No catch; leave now, before I changed my mind."

"Henry." Mack voice was soft; the girl was unsure what to do. Every inch of her body wanted to run as far as she could get away from the boy. There was a small voice in her head that said he needs you. "Your worth saving no matter what you have become." Mack said walking toward the open door.

"That's nice of you to lie to me, but no I am not. Now get out of here before I decide you would look better dead" Mack stopped dead in her tracts turned back and walked right up to Henry turned his chair and stared down at him.

"Just stop you're not going to hurt me. You have had plenty of chances to. I sick of it, whatever weird little game you're playing with me needs to stop." Mack said turning the boy's face up so for once she was looking down on him. "Henry, I believe deep down inside of you is a good person."

"You don't know me." He tried to look away.

"I know enough, you aren't the things you have done. You could have kill me why didn't you?"

"It would make our mother angry. It has nothing to do with being a good person. "

"There is good in you, I believe it."

"You're a fucking fool. You shouldn't be here you should be running as far as you can get away from me." He glared up at her.

"I know you have good inside of you because I like you and you can't like someone who doesn't like themself. The people I fear for are the ones who I don't like because they hate themselves so much they won't let anyone else like them either. I do like you. I believe you can be the person you always wanted to be."

Emma and Regina left Charming and his men at the border. Red said Henry liked to go to Regina's old mansion sometimes so they decided to start their search for the children there. They got in the car and drove the short distance.

"Thank for standing up for me back there." Regina said looking over to Emma.

"It was about time. I should have done it a long time ago. If I had maybe things would have turned out differently." Emma said not taking her eyes off the road.

"I don't think this is your fault."

"Really, who fault is it. You left because of me. I tried to be a good parent. Look at how well that turned out. Henry went from being a loving kid, to the Dark One." Regina grabbed Emma's free hand and looked into her eyes.

"Everything will work out, we will save him, then we will take the spell of your mother and reunite her with Charming."

"Wow, you are a completely different person, never in a million years did I ever think you would say that."

"Charming reminded me of someone I use to be. He's as lost as I was when I cast the curse. I just feel bad for him and even her. Who knew that was even possible. I feel bad for them." Regina was just as surprised as Emma was about her admitted revelation.

Standing in front of her old house Regina took a deep breath not sure if she was ready for whatever she was about to find. Regina turned to Emma who looked just as unsure about everything as she felt.

"It's all going to work out ok." Emma said. Regina wasn't sure if she was trying to make herself feel better or comfort her.

"I hope so."

AN: There are maybe two chapters left in this story. I am planning on sequel and maybe even a prequel to explain some of the story I left out. Also thanks again for all the reviews this is the third story I have ever written and hopefully the first I will finish. Oh and I can't promise a happy ending but I hope people will like it.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Henry sat there looking up into Mack's sincere jade eyes. It had been a long time since anyone had been so genuinely kind and caring toward him. Emma had tried, but he had been so angry and resentful about everything that she had given up. Now Mack stood there accepting all of his faults and still wanting to be his friend. He knew what he had to do.

"I don't want your pity and I don't need your compassion." He tore his eyes away, and shook the thoughts from his head. He stood up, walked toward the door, and opened it. Nothing was going to interfere with his plan no matter what. He had set everything in to motion. There was no going back, only forward.

"Henry." Mack's words fell on deaf ears. He had made his decision.

"You need to leave; you have no idea what I am capable of. I am not safe for you to be around. No matter what you think I am not a good person." He said turning to look at Mack. Out of the corner of his eye saw something in the hall. He turned his head to see Regina in the doorway. He stared in disbelief, before he could say anything Regina walked up and wrapped her arms around him. He stood there like a statue. Regina only held him tighter until he responded by wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"Mom," He stared down at the brunette. "I can't believe it's really you." His mother felt so tiny in his arms. She put her hand up to his face, touching his facial hair. Regina examined every inch of his new adult face. The soft features of the boy she loved were gone, hardened by not only time but also pain. Henry looked up to see Emma leaning on the doorjamb, arms crossed over her chest staring at their embrace.

"Look at you, my baby is all grown up." Regina said brushing a hand through the boys tangled locks and smiling up at him.

"Mom," Mack said walking over to the pair. Before she could say anything else, Regina wrapped an arm around her drawing her into an awkward family hug, with Regina clinging to both children as her children tried not to touch each other.

"You're safe," Regina said pulling away from the embrace to look at Mack.

"Yeah, Henry saved me." Mack said elbowing the boy in the ribs and smiling over at him. Henry glared back at her, and swatted her hand away. Regina looked up at her son surprised by Mack's revelation, no one had said one nice thing about him not even Emma. Regina started to cry seeing her children together, and finding out the Henry she remembered might still be inside the man standing in front of her. "Mom I'm ok really, not a scratch on me." Mack said confused at why her mother was suddenly so upset.

"You always were such a good boy, you always wanted to be the hero."

"Mom, I'm no hero, not by a long shot." Henry said averting his dejected eyes from his mother.

"I know you have done some bad things," Regina said grabbing his chin forcing him to look in her eyes.

"I have done a hell of a lot more than a few bad things." Henry said pulling his face away from her grip.

"You can start over, we can all start over. Look at me I was the Evil Queen. Now I am just Regina and you can go back to being just Henry." He looked up at her and his expression changed. Regina's words caused something to snap inside of him.

"I can never go back, and I don't want to." He pushed Regina away. "Look around, I'm not the kid you remember." Henry said waving his hand at the desk behind him. "I killed people, took hearts, and put Snow White under a sleeping curse." He was yelling and looked like a crazed animal.

"Henry, if anyone knows what you are going through its Regina." Emma said walking toward the group. Emma's presence agitated him even more.

"Henry this isn't you. We can save Snow and by saving her maybe it will save you along the way." Regina said grabbing his arm, which he quickly pulled away as if she had burned him.

"I don't want to save her. Mother you don't know anything about me anymore. You left remember. The kid you loved is dead and all that is left is me." Henry said pounding his chest. "This is me, I am the Dark One and I like killing and hurting people. I like the way magic feels. I like how I feel when using it. I don't want to go back to being a weak scared little boy who needs everyone else to protect him. I didn't want you to come back and help me be a good little boy." Henry said angrily.

"Then why did you want me to come back?"

"I needed you to fulfill my plan. You're the missing puzzle piece. That is what theirdeaths have been about." He pointing to his board, showing her the names of those he had slain. "Recasting your curse on Snow, everything was to lure you back here. Yet you never came." Henry was fuming, "I did everything that would make you happy. Now you're telling me you want to save her." He pointed to Snow's name on his board. "You're just like the rest of them."

"Henry, I know you're angry but…" Henry cut Regina short by rushing toward her.

"I am not even going to fill guilty about what I am going to do." Purple flames erupted around him as reached out attempting to seize her heart. Before he could touch her chest, Emma jumped in front of the older woman. Emma's magic pushed him back into the oak desk. He grabbed the hook that was impaled in the heart. Charging Emma, he stabbed the blade into her stomach. She gripped her stomach, blood leaking around her fingers. She stared at him in agony. He smirked at her pain. "You're not going to be able to heal that wound, it's enchanted." He said looking down at the hook pushing it in deeper and turning it, with a flick of his wrist he shoved her back.

"That felt good." He smiled evilly as his mother lay bleeding on the floor.

"Stop," Mack, yelled running to where Emma had fallen. She had been completely forgotten during the struggle. Henry turned to her purple flames still flying from his hands. The evil smile firmly in place on his face.

"Mother I will make you a deal, I need a heart. I will make this simple for you either I take hers or you give me yours. If you do no harm will come to the girl." Henry said to Regina not taking his eyes off Mack. "You can try stop me but I will easily kill all of you and take what I want. Your heart for her safety."


	17. Chapter 17

"Mother I will make you a deal, I need a heart. I will make this simple, I take hers or you give me yours. If you do, no harm will come to the girl." Henry said to Regina not taking his eyes off Mack. "You can try to stop me but I will easily kill all of you and take what I want. Your heart for her safety."

"You know what my answer is." Dark purple flames erupted from Regina's hands as she stared Henry down. He was taller than she was now but she still could be just as intimidating when she pulled out the evil queen. She was surprised because everyone backed down when she got angry. He just matched her flames and intense posture.

"This has gone on long enough young man." Regina said pointing a finger and pounding it into his chest.

"I am going to tell you the same thing my father told me when I took his heart. Magic comes at a price. Henry you can be stronger than I was. Don't do this; any spell that needs a human heart will create a void inside you." Dark purple flames continued to poor out of Regina's hands. She was barely able to keep her anger at bay. Henry glared down at her matching her venom with his own.

"There already is one. This won't change what's inside me."

"You have no idea about the consequences of your actions, don't be like me."

"I turned into you mother, I am you, this is how it has to end. Everything has come full circle. Irony at its finest, you never wanted to be like your mother and I never wanted to be like you yet here we are. Except I have the power from the man who created both of you. You weren't a match for him and you won't be a match for me." Henry's harsh words hit Regina and her flames fizzled. She looked at the man who was once the boy she raised for 10 years. The Henry she loved was gone replaced with a shell. The Dark One's magic had turned him completely insane. Regina gave in to her anger and pain this nightmare had to end.

Regina focused all of her power into her right hand she only had one chance. She created a back orb, placing all her rage and fear inside it. She launched it at him but he caught it with little effort. He then looked at his hand, smiled then aimed the orb right at Mack.

"When I cast the dark curse there was nothing left for me. Don't you see you have already won?"

"Enough," Henry yelled, "The clock is ticking dearie, your life or hers." Henry said pointing to Mack; he wanted to drive home the fact that he was truly the Dark One by making the same remark his grandfather would. It had the desired effect making Regina cringe at his words.

"Heal Emma, then let her and Mack go and you can have my heart." Regina truly sounded defeated.

"No, besides I can't, the hook is special, tick tock, times running out. I can kill your precious replacement where she stands without batting an eye. Make your choice, live alone or save your child and die a hero. Poetic don't you think mother."

There was no choice Regina gave her heart willingly. Ripping it from her own chest, she handed it to the monster she helped create. She could never choose her life over her child's. Emma lay on the floor dying with Mack vainly trying to apply pressure to her wound. Regina leaned down to give her daughter one finally hug. Then she positioned her body so Emma's head was resting on her thighs. Henry picked up the blood-covered hook and stared at it.

"Henry please don't do this, it's not her fault it's mine." Emma could barely get the words out, her voice faint. Then with the last of her strength, she reached up and grabbed Regina's hand. Regina moved the stray blonde hair out of Emma's eyes and kissing her forehead. Emma smiled up at her one last time then closed her eyes.

"This isn't about blame or fault this is about getting what I deserve." Henry said turning his back, disgusted by their display of affection and not the least bit concerned his mother was dead.

"You know why I couldn't save her. This this used to be the Dark One's dagger but the man that murdered my father and grandfather it melted down so he could kill the Dark One. How ironic how I used his own hook to kill him. The answer to stopping me was right here all the time. Everyone was just too stupid to see it." He wiped the blood off on his shirt and placed the hook in front of him.

"You don't have to do this," Mack stood covered in Emma's blood tears running down her face. "Just stop, don't kill our mother. I still need her." Regina grabbed her arm pulling her back down.

"I needed her too." With that, he sprinkled a sparkling dust on the heart, and then poured a purple liquid over the heart. Purple smoke started to spill from the heart. Opening one of his books, he set the heart down, letting the dark writing wrap around it. Regina fell over barely breathing, Mack jolted up.

"Please we can still be a family; you don't have to do this." Mack said frantically, Henry ignored her and continued casting his spell. Mack was desperate her mother had given up and she was going to lose everything she held dear. She charged Henry knowing she would be no match for him but she did not care. She lunged for the hook. He quickly moved it out of the way. Henry's full attention went to the hook for a second, that's all Mack needed. Mack seized the heart, Emma's blood dripping from her hands. She clutched the heart close to her body. Tears streaming down her face, a tear fell directly onto the heart and combined with Emma's blood. Suddenly, a blinding golden light burst from the heart. Then everything went black.

Henry shot up from bed screaming at the top of his lungs. He was covered in sweat and breathing hard. Even in the dark, he could tell he was in Emma's room at Mary Margret's apartment. Looking down he saw that his hands were tiny. Frantically he put them up to his face; all his facial hair was gone. Regina rushed into the room and turned on the light, she looked younger. Henry continued to shake his head in disbelief. This was not how it was supposed to be. _Mack, had magic too._


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Henry shot up from bed screaming at the top of his lungs. He was covered in sweat and breathing hard. Even in the dark, he could tell he was in Emma's room at Mary Margret's apartment. Looking down he saw that his hands were tiny. Frantically he put them up to his face; all his facial hair was gone. Regina rushed into the room and turned on the light, she looked younger. Henry continued to shake his head in disbelief. This was not how it was supposed to be. _Mack, had magic too._

"Baby I am right here, you are ok." Regina sat on his bed and wrapped her arms around him. Drawing him close to her body and brushing the hair out of his eyes. He pulled away and looked into her eyes. She seemed so different, her was voice softer then he remembered. She was dressed in sweats and a T-shirt something he had never seen her wear in her whole life. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"I think I hit my head when I woke up." He said shaking his head. "I can't remember some things…how old am I and why are we here." He said looking around the room. A flash of horror appeared briefly on Regina's face then she recovered quickly, smiling down and trying to comfort him.

"Honey you are 9, and we live here." Regina said getting up and going to her purse and pulling out a pin light and shined it in Henry's eyes. His pupils responded correctly.

"Where did you hit head?" Henry pointed to the back of his head and Regina felt the spot he pointed to. "I can't feel a bump, do you feel nauseated?"

"A little." Henry said with a shrug.

"How many fingers am I holding up" Regina said putting up two fingers. _I probably should lie; otherwise, I will never get any answers._

"I don't know it's kind of blurry."

"I think we should go to the E.R. just to get you checked out, ok honey. I am going to call Mary Margret and David to watch your sister." Regina said picking up her cell phone and calling Mary Margret.

"What, why would you ever call them?" Henry could not believe what his mother was doing.

"Honey they are your god parents." Regina said helped Henry out of bed worried he would lose his balance and guided him to the sofa to wait for the Nolan's. _This was not what was supposed to happen. Time is reversed, and I am a kid again. I have a sister, Mack did this somehow she had to of. _

David and Mary Margret arrived 15 minutes later. When Regina let them in the door Mary Margret hugged Regina and whispered something in her ear and Regina nodded. _What the fuck is going on here. This is all too fucking weird. Oh and on top of the weirdness, they are keeping shit from me because I am trapped as a fucking kid._

"You alright buddy." David said walking over to Henry and patting him on the shoulder and smiling down at him. His face was back to the handsome young man Henry first met the day David woke up from a coma.

"Yeah," Henry said quietly.

"Mom, do you believe in fairytales?"Henry said staring out of the car window as Regina drove him to the hospital.

"That's kind of a strange question honey."

"Do you think we could be fairytale characters?"

"I guess I never really thought about it, who would I be honey."

"The e…." Henry paused for a second "the queen of all the lands."

"Oh I don't think I would ever want to be a queen, but that's very sweet. Oh I think Mary Margret would make a much better queen than me, she makes such a great Mayor." _What! That explains why we don't live on __Mifflin Street._

"Mom what do you do?"

"I work at the hospital, I am nurse honey." Regina said tiring her best to not to show Henry how worried she was.

After several hours and multiple tests, Dr. Whale told Regina that Henry had no signs of trauma, not even a concussion. Dr. Whale could not explain to Regina the sudden onset of amnesia. Dr. Whale suggested seeing Archie for a fallow up.

Henry sat in the car; something had been bothering him for several hours. _Where was Emma? She was there when the spell was cast. She should be in town too. He waited for her to show up at the hospital too, she never did. I know she died but I also killed Whale and he is alive. _

"Mom who is sheriff?"

"Graham." Regina said pulling the car into her parking spot. "Things will get better honey." She said grabbing his hand.

"I hope so." Henry said rubbing his head

**One year later**

It only took Henry a few weeks to adjust to his new life. His spell was meant to bring back happily ever after, he never envisioned it would be like this. At first, he though it backfired but after a few weeks, he knew this was everything he had ever hoped for. Except for the nightmares that haunted him in his sleep, seeing Emma's face was the worst. He finally had his sanity back and he knew the nightmares would always be the price he had to pay.

Regina no longer wore power suits and her whole personality was slightly different. She seemed free, like a burden had been lifted; no longer did she spend so much time hiding her emotions behind a mask. She was genially happy and more caring then he remembered. He had a little sitter now and even though she drove him crazy, he would not have it any other way. He still could not figure out who Mack really was and after a few months, he decided it did not matter. She gave everyone happily Ever After.

Graham was married to Ruby. David was his deputy and May Margate was pregnant with their _first_ child. David and Mary were extremely close with his mother. Which was very hard for him at first but he missed the good times and loved having them in this life. Gold was alive, he no longer owned the town, and was happy with Belle by his side. He still ran his small pawnshop. They had a one-year-old daughter named Cassandra they called Cassidy. Belle was now Henry's teacher. Granny still ran the B&B with Ruby. The only thing missing was Emma, her birthday passed and he did not go and look for her. Henry decided not having her was the price he would have to pay, to keep everyone happy. He would do anything to keep it that way.

Henry came home from school one after noon and stopped dead in his tracks. Emma was laying on the sofa, her leg in a cast and a bandaged around her arm talking and smiling up at Regina. _No, she will destroy everything._

THE END


	19. Chapter 19

In a Anther Life

_Henry opened the door to his mother's mansion on Miffin Street. He ran to her old study, she was not there, he searched the whole house for his mother, but he could not find her. He sat and waited for her to return for an hour, but she never came home. He went back the next day and the day after that. She was gone, no note, no goodbye, just gone. _

_He told everyone, but no one cared. Everyone was busy planning Emma's wedding. He never thought she would actually leave. The last word he said to her was later, that is it, later. All the fighting for him, all the changes she made, she even stopped her own mother for him. Then one day she was just gone. Charming and Snow laughed and joked about it. When he told Emma, she just patted him on the head and said, "She'll turn up, you know Regina. If it's not about her then she isn't happy." She never came back and no matter who he told, no one cared. _

Henry shot up from bed breathing heavy and looking around the room. His breathing clamed, relieved he was safe. He got up and walked to his Mom's room. He quit telling her about the nightmares but after each one, he had to check and made sure she was still there. Visions from anther life still haunted him in his new one.

He opened the door, checking that his mother was still fast asleep, Mack wrapped in her arms. Relived, he was going to close the door and go to bed, but Regina lifted up the blanket and motioned for him to get in. He was 10, but felt 20; he knew he should just go back to his own bed but not tonight. He could not handle any more nightmares. He climbed in and snuggled into her side. This was the only way he ever slept anymore.

That morning Mack was reading a book, she got from Belle at the table as everyone was eating breakfast. Mack was fascinated by the pictures and was staring at Regina.

"Mom look," she pointed to a picture of the Evil Queen, "She looks like you huh."

"Yeah honey she does and Snow White looks like Mary Margret." Regina said bending down looking at the picture. She kissed Mack on the forehead and went back to getting ready for work.

"Everyone in town is in this book." Mack said flipping to a page where Ruby was walking in the forest.

"You know Fairy Tales are stupid right." Henry said rolling his eyes and slamming the book closed.

"No they're not; you're just a big meanie." Mack said pulling the book out of his grasp.

"They're not real and you want to know what else isn't real Santa…isn't…." His mother cut him off.

"Henry come here right now." Regina demanded, Henry rolled his eyes and got up. Regina whispered in his ear. "She is only 7, leave her alone."

"Mom, it's so stupid."

_**This is a sample of the sequel story that I am writing now, I hope that all of you that liked this story will enjoy my new one even more. Thank you for all of your support. The new story is called "In Another Life".**_


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